Tunnel bank raid possibly an inside job

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The Hollywood-style bank raid last week in Berlin, in which thieves constructed a tunnel to break into the bank's security boxes, might have been an inside job.

A report in the Taggesspiegel on Saturday said information showed that the bank burglars probably had inside information. Only about half of the 1,600 security deposit boxes in Berliner Volksbank’s treasury had been rented out, yet the criminals managed to figure out which boxes were occupied.

The burglars opened 309 boxes of which 294 were in use – that amounts to a 95 percent rate. A spokeswoman for the bank said there is nothing on the outside of the security boxes that would show whether the box contains anything or not.

In any case investigators agree that the professionally-built 45-metre tunnel took the thieves a lot of work and planning – even if, as the police suspect, some of the tools used to build the tunnel were stolen.

It took the raiders months to dig out the tunnel. The walls of the underground garage and the bank were drilled out with professional drilling machines. It could have taken up to a year to construct, the police said.

The tunnel continues to be under investigation and police have found empty energy drinks apparently used by the tunnel builders during their construction work.

An artist’s rendering of a suspect has been published, but to date the police have not announced any suspects.